Jason Ferguson (snooker player)

Playing career

Ferguson turned professional in 1990. Two years later he qualified for the World Snooker Championships, losing in the first round, and reached the last 16 of the UK Championship. He reached the same stage of six more ranking events but never progressed beyond that stage.

Ferguson again qualified for the World Championship in 1996, again losing in the first round. He spent a total of four years ranked among the world's top 32 players, reaching his highest ranking of #28 in the 1994/95 season.

Although Ferguson continued to play professionally for a further six years, his form suffered due to his increased workload after being elected to the WPBSA board. He retired in 2004.

Performance and rankings timeline

Career finals

Non-ranking finals: 2

Pro-am finals: 1 (1 title)

Amateur finals: 1

Snooker administration

In December 1998 Ferguson was elected alongside Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor to the WPBSA's seven-person board, at the time led by Rex Williams. This appointment coincided with a period of difficulty between old and new board members. An attempt by Ferguson, Davis and Taylor to remove Williams and Bob Close in August 1999 failed, and a counter-motion saw the three voted off the board, although this was later reversed.

Ferguson became the organisation's chairman in December 2001, replacing Mark Wildman. Ferguson was at the time ranked #56 in the world. He was criticised for endorsing the board's decision to fire chief executive Jim McKenzie one week after becoming chairman.

After several years away from the post, Ferguson was re-elected as chairman of the WPBSA following a board meeting in July 2010. In 2022, following an independent review, the WBPSA confirmed that Ferguson would continue as chairman at least until 2026.

Other roles

In May 2009 Ferguson was elected as mayor of the civil parish of Ollerton and Boughton having previously spent two years from late 2006 as a town councillor in Ollerton. He was replaced as mayor by Irene Miller in May 2010.

Ferguson also owns the bicycle repair shop called Wheels ‘n’ Things.

References

References

1. "Jason Ferguson". billiardssnooker.com.
2. "World Championship 1998". Global Snooker.
3. (2 November 2010). "Jason Ferguson Appointed WPBSA Chairman". worldsnooker.com.
4. "World Rankings 1994/95". WWW Snooker.
5. (30 April 2002). "Willie Thorne, John Williams, Jason Ferguson and Mark Johnstone Allen's Snooker Chat". [[BBC Online]].
6. "Ranking History". Snooker.org.
7. (23 December 1998). "Davis leads fight for change". [[BBC News]].
8. Everton, Clive. (29 August 1999). "Snooker: Hendry quick off the mark". [[The Independent]].
9. Rowland, James. (21 December 2001). "Snooker: Troubled Ferguson falters on and off the table". The Independent.
10. (3 December 2010). "WPBSA receives vote of confidence". [[Eurosport]].
11. Huart, Matt. (2022-12-13). "WPBSA Annual General Meeting 2022".
12. (9 May 2009). "Cued up as mayor". Newark Advertiser.
13. (23 May 2010). "New mayor named". Newark Advertiser.
14. He was a non-executive director of the [[Sherwood Energy Village]], an ecologically sustainable village on the site of a former coal mine in Ollerton; while the site still exists, the organisation went into liquidation in 2010.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-11108281 Sherwood Energy Village firm in liquidation - BBC News]